A wide variety of fasteners are used in connection with manufacturing processes. In aircraft applications, for example, it is common to use a large number of fasteners along a “moldline” surface and then fill the resulting gaps and recesses (e.g., the removal tool recess within the fastener head) with a fairing material or other such conformal coating to produce a relatively smooth surface.
When the filler material fills the tool recess of a fastener, however, it becomes difficult to later remove that fastener when, for example, the skin or panel in which it is used must be removed for maintenance or the like. Often, it is necessary to manually remove the fairing material using a pick or other such digging tool. This task is not only tedious and time-consuming, it is also often ineffective in removing enough material to allow the removal tool to be used effectively. This can lead, for example, to stripping of the recess detail during removal.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved fastening systems for use in conjunction with fairing materials and other conformal coatings. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.